Clamp



Sept. 1.5, 1931- w. J. o'NElLl. 1,823,465

` CLAMP v Filed March 15, 1930 Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNITED sm'rasf rATrNTv OFFICE v WILLIAM v.'J'. ONILL, 0F yIRIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 MERCIL PLATING Y l EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS CLAMP y y.Al'iplication filed March 15, 1930. Serial No. 436,167.

My invention relates toa clamping device which is inclusive of twol arms'each having ajaw on one end thereof and which are articulated at theirother ends. In accordance f withfonefeature of the invention one of the arms is provided with a tongue `where it is in articulated connection lwith the other and the latter arm is there provided with a groove in which said tongue/is snugly received. I

-110 provide a metallic coupling member within said tongue and the adjacent sides of said groove, the aforesaid arms being made of a non-metallic acid resisting substance which will expand under the influence of liquid to 115 eliminate clearance between said tongue and groove side'. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention the metallic coupling is formed to force relative movement of said arms toward and away from each other. I provide a handle which is coupled with said coupling and closely against one side of the groove toeifect the operation of said coupling, this handle being also made of a nonvmetallic acid resisting substance which will expand under the influence of liquid to bring the handleclosely against the groove side adjacent thereto.. The clamping device thus vmade vis of particular'service in connection vwith electro-plating barrels which are toy be .wopassed Ainto and kout of 'an electrolite in a plating operation, clamps of this character Vhaving been employed for the purpose of holding closures in place upon plating barrels. f

: y'In accordance with another characteristic of the invention the clamping device is inclusive of a coupling which is employed to unite the ends of the armsthat are to be' articulated.y This coupling is formed to relatively move said arms tofincrease or decrease the spacing between the jaws. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the coupling'is in the form of a shaft journaled in said tongue and the sides of said groove, the portion of the shaft journaled in the tongue being eccentric with respect to the portion of the shaft journaled in the sides of the groove.

I will explain my invention more fully by kreference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a viewk illustrating a plating tank in section and a plating barrel in assembly therewith and shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a sectional View on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, but omitting the tank Fig. 3 is an enlargement of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 2 but turned at right angles, contiguous portions of the arms of the illustrated clamping device being shown in section; Fig. 4 is a sectional viewon line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view online 5-5 of Fig. 3.

I have illustrated a tank 1 in whichan electroplating electrolyte 2 is contained. A plating barrel is adapted for partial immersion within the electrolyte and for rotation while partially immersed, as is well known bythose familiar withthe art. The plating barrel illustraed is inclusive of end walls 3 which carry stub shafts, not shown, that are supported within 'the bearings 4 which may be lowered or elevated to partially immerse the barrel within and withdraw it from the electrolyte. The barrel is also inclusive of perforated panels 5 through which the electrolyte 2 may have access to the interior of the barrel and the objects within the barrel that are to be electroplated. The barrel is shown as being generally hexagonal, one oi the panels 6 being' carried by a frame 7 that constitutes, therewith a closure which is removed when the objects to be plated are to be passed into the barrel and, when plated, are to be removed from the barrel. Ribs 8 intervene between the end walls 3 and are held in assembly with the end walls by metallic rods 9'which pass through said ribs and are in fixed connection with the end walls of the barrel. The end walls and ribs of the barrel are made of bakelite or other suitable acid resisting material as are also the panels 5 and `6 and the frame 7 for the latter panel.

The/panel 6 and its supporting frame'7 are adapted to be clamped in place by clamping ydevices of my invention of which two are shown for this purpose. Each clamping de'- vice illustrated is inclusive of two arms l() and 1l, yeach made of acid resistingmaterial such as bakelite. The arm l0 has a tongue 12 formed upon one end thereof and the arm 11 has a groove formed in one end thereof within which and between the sides V13 of' which the tongue is snugly received. The coupling which unites the arms is in the form vof a metallic shaft having coaxial portions l by the shaft part 16 turns with the balance of the shaft structure. To guard against endwise movement, I formthe shaft portion with an; annular groove 17 which receives a metallic pin 1:8 that-is carried by a groove side 13 and is received therein through. an opening of corresponding size. A handle 19,

valso made of suitable resisting material such as bakelite, is secured to the Vshaft portion 15 byvv means of a metallic pin which isreceived within an'opening formed in the handle and ispassed through an opening that is dia-metrically*formed'in the shaftportion 15. rI?he"c'ontiguous faces of the tongue 12 and groove sides 13 areV inintimate contact as are the contiguous faces of the handle 19 and 'thea'rms 10and 11. The intimacy of the contact between these contiguous faces is enhanced vby the swelling ofVY the handle and arms under the influence of the acid solution, the handles and arms expanding to eliminate the clearance betweenthe tongue and groove vsides-andi between thehandle and the arms,

whereby access ofthe acid to the metallic coupling 14, 115, 116 is-guard'ed against. Tofurther guard the'met'allic portions of the structure against the access-of moisture thereto, I provide a closure plug 21 of bakelite in the outer endi of the .opening that receives the pin-18; pl`ugs22 of bakelite in the ends of the opening that contain. the pin 2O and plugs 23 of bakelite-that cover the ends of the shaft vportions 14 and 15. The jaws 24 at the outer 'ends of thev yclamping arms are designed to grip the ribs 8 between which the closurel 6, 7 is disposedi When the'handle' 19 is inthe position illustrated said jaws are clamped against the ribs by virtue of the fact'that the eccentrically related portions of the shaft structure 1'4, 15', 16. have'been adjusted to force the articulated? ends of the arms toward each other to effect an approach 'of said jaws. When the closure 6, 7 vis to be removed, said' handle is turned half way round which will move the articulated ends of the varms apart to an extent which will move said jaws sufficiently apart to permit their removal from! the ribsengaged thereby. When the handles 19 of both clamping devices have heenthus adjusted the closure 6, 7, may be removed. The frame 7`is desirably provided with bridge pieces 25whi'ch are disposed beneath the clamping arms I0? andi 1'1. These bridge pieces are engaged by the extreme ends of the groove sides 13 and the tongue 12 when the handles 19 have been adjusted to engage the jaws 24 with the contiguous ribs 8. rlhe arms of the clamping devices are thus enabled to press Ythe closure 6,17 into` place when the handles havebeen suitably manipulated.

Changes may be made without ldeparting from the invention.- f

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim: v

' 1. A clamping device inclusive of two arms each. having4 on one end thereof, one arm having a tongue on the other end thereof and the other'arm havingga-y grooveupon its other endin which said tongue is snugly received; and ya metallic coupling -member Within said tongue and theadjacentsidesof said groove, theaforesaidarmsbeing-madeof a non-metallic'acid resisting Substance which will expand under thev influence oft liquid to eliminate clearance between said tonguev and groove sides.

y Y 2. The structure-1 of `claim; 1 whereinl the f metallic couplingis formed to force: relative movement of said arms Vtoward ande .away from each other and a' handle is coupled: with said coupling and closely against oneside of the groove to effect the: operation ofi said coupling, this handle being'also,l made of` a non-metallic acid resisting'substancev which will expand under the influence ofli'quid tio bring the handle closely against the: groove side adjacent'theret'o., Y

. 3. A clamping device inclusive-of two` arms each having a jaw on one-end thereof, one arm having a tongue on the other enid'thereof and the other arm. having agroove upon its other end in which said' tongue is: snugly received; a coupling in the form of a shaft journaled in said tongue, and vthesides of'said groove, the portion of the shaft j ournal'ed in thetongue beingl eccentric with respect tov thel portion of the shaft journaled the sides of the groove; anda handle ugponi said shaft;`

4. A clamping device inclusive of twor arms eachhaving a. jaw on one end thereof,i'a coupling uniting the other ends of the arms "and formed tok relatively move said arms to'increase or decrease-the spacing between the jaws including a shaft having portions-jour-V naled in the contiguous ends of saifdarms, a portion of thecoupling journal'ed one arm being eccentric withrespect to the portion of the coupling.-l journaled' in "the" other arm, and a handle infconnection with the coupling for effecting itsoperation.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. l

' J. omnrnn. 

